When patients a little older than a year need an x-ray, they can now use this tool. Children needing images of their insides pedal on the bike to distract them while an x-ray is being taken.

The new Burton Bike tool at Union Health to help young patients while getting x-rays. (WTHI Photo, Devan Ridgway)

Meghan Whittaker, Clinical Educator in Union Health’s Imaging Department says the goal of using this device is for patients to have a more positive experience.

She explains, “It's scary when you're a little person and you're in the hospital so this makes it seem a little less intimidating and at the same time it'll give us good quality images and reduce the dose or the amount of x-rays we have to deliver to each patient."

Whittaker says the device will get a lot of use. That's because the hospital takes over 1000 pediatric chest x-rays each year.

Union Health just received the equipment this week, and will be using it just as soon. Whittaker says the hospital got some other tools to help make for better pediatric x-rays.

Whittaker says these devices were made possible with funds from the Union Health Foundation.

If you'd like to support patient care in this way, you can donate by clicking here.